Hood or muffler for glass-tank furnaces



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' W. P. MODES." Hoon 0R MUPFLER Pon GLASS TANK FURNAGES. No. 514,487. 4 Patented Feb. 13,1894.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

W F MODES H001) on MUFFLBR FOR GLASS TANK PURNAGBS.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Genion,

W'ILLIAM F. MODES, rOF STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

HOODIOR MUFFLER FOR GLASS-TANK FURNAGES.

SPECIFICATION *forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,487, dated February 13,1894.

Application nei september 9,1893. sein y110.485.151. ma einem A L .To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. MODES, a citizen of the United States,- residing at Streator, in the county of La Salle, in thetate of Illinois, have invented a certain new and use?r ful Improvement in Hoods-or Mulers for Glass-Tank Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, refer-` ence being had to the accompanying draw`v ings, forming a part of this speciiication, wherein- Figurel is a longitudinal sectional view through a tank furnace,

, sition of my improved refined glass cham-bers capes, after which they therein.t tion through one of the chambers, illu strat ing its position relative to the breast wall of the Wol-.kingf-outl chamber,` spective view of one of thel ing at its front end. Fig. section through another'form of chamber. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, looking toward the rear. f

Heretofore', the method of operating'v what is known as tank'furnaces lfor melting glass has been to fuse or melt the batch in the melting chamber, `whence it' passes into the working out chamber or chambers, in a comparatively refined state, by reason of the Fig. 3 is a per- -separatingjfmid-skimmer wall, which-divides the two compartments, through or under which themolten mass passes, where 'it is separated Vfrom theslag or heating skim. When it reaches this working-out chamber, the mass is comparatively free from foreign substances, but by reason of the fact that the `molten 'glassis being constantly removed through the workingout holes, and new ma'- terial is being constantly introduced for fusion` through the charging door into the melting compartment, it follows that unfused particles find their way into the working out end of the tank, which particles, containing gas, as they do, float on the surface until complete fusion takes piace, when the gas es- I sink, by becoming dens1ied. rhis condition existscontinually, or so long as the continuous process is followed, and-1s ofsuch nature as to render the surface of the glass in the working-oui; end unfit for use, by reason of the glass being full of knots (untused particles) which canse the glass to-be ropy or coi-dy, as 'it is v "has led to the adoption 'of hoods or muiiiers, illustrating the pov il This hood or mother is seated or rests on a shelf extending from the bottom of the tank, A chambers, lookfand its bottom is below the glass line level, et is a longitudinal t case may be. This construction has its obtermed. This condition is further aggravated from the fact that on the bottom sides 55 and breast of the tank, the glass is partially solidified by reason ofthe cooling cave nuderneath and the air-spaces therearound, which retards, in a great measure, absolute fusion, so that thevglass at these points is generally considered poor in quality and un- 4lit for use. This leaves the line glass in the middle of the working-out end of the tank,

where itis not easily accessible. This state 6 as they maybe termed, which are in construcytion semi-spherical in shape, bottomless, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec-'1 f-provided with a neck or extension leading up into and through the working-ont holes.

enabling the` glass to rise therethrough ih seeking its own level, which enables theoperator vto'work in the saine without fear of drawing the .unfused particles emanating fronbeneath Athe mid-skimmer wall, which are excluded, by the walls of' the' hood, from its interior,` on his tube, or in his' ladle, as thev i jections, they residing chiefly in the fact that the metal nearest the breast of the tank reaches a stage of consistency thicker and more solidified than that farther back in the hood, by reason of the close proximity of the cold breast wall, which not only thickens ythe metal, but, by the constant indux of the hotter metal, becomes ,cordy orropy, which will, in' course of time, so choke the space immediately beneath the hood as to cause the inconvenience of cleaning ont. O utside of this great disadvantage of being compelled t take the metal from the back of the hood; in order to secu re the finest quality of glass, the temperature of the glass cannot be regulated in anyone hood without regnlating'the tem perature of the whole mass. This temperature, which determines the consistency of the glass, is an important factor, and, heretofore, has been regulated. by closing the workingout holesto increase .it to make the metal thinner for small work, and, to reduceit, the working-out holeshavebeen left open, which f admit the cold air and thickens the metal for use in large work. And. in no case ann-I aware that varying temperatures have been sought to be obtained in the saine mass of metal for working purposes, so that workmen could work on different classes of work, re-

quiring glass of different consistencies, from h the working-out end of one furnace without materially affecting the temperature of the metal of his neighbor.

This present invention relates to such a hood or muiiier, and is adapted for use as above described, the object being to overcome and remedy the defects of those now in use and in which will also be found other incidental advantages in the construction, arrangement, and v combination of parts, all of which tend, in their way, to provide a structure which is cheap and effective, and one which will perform its functions in the sim plest and most satisfactory manner.

The essential features of my invention reside, in the peculiar formation of a hood or muffler, in such manner that it may be built into the breast wall of the working-out end of the furnace and be supported by a flaring neck which projects through said breast wall, forming the working-out hole. In addition to this, the frontend of the hood is provided with a projection which rests upon the inner face of the breast wall, and helps support. or brace the hood, at the same time forming a space between the hood and breast wall. for the circulation of the molten metal. Also, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the interior of the hood, whereby the same'is divided intotwo compartments, the upper of which op'ens'into the working-out hole and is connected to the lower one at the front end of the hood, which lower compartment leads into the working-out end of the furnace at the rear end of the hood below the glass line level. In the arrangement of two-or more hoods of this peculiar construction in the working-out end of a glass tank furnace, and in providing.

each with means for individual regulation. And, finally, in minor details of construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.-

Referring to the drawings, wherein like symbols of reference refer to like parts wherever they occur:--A indicates the melting chamber of a continuous tank furnace; B, the

working-out chambers, in this instance, one being located at eachend, which working-out chambers are separated from the melting chamber by the midskimmer walls C; D indicates the regenerators, arranged at the sides of the tank; and E the charging openings. This construction is of bld and well-known form, and is shown merely to illustrate the application of my invention thereto, and it will be obvious, from the following description, that-the hoods are as applicable to other forms of furnaces as this; therefore, I do not wish-to be understood as confining myself to the one shown.

Built in, or otherwise secured to, the breast wall of the working-out chamber, through the mediuml of their necks 2, are the hoods l, arranged so as to form a battery, which extends inwardly to such a distance as place their rear ends remotely from the breast wall, and, 1n the instance of a semi-circular breast wall, as shown in Fig. 1, these hoods are 'radially disposed, being fed from about the center of the working-out chamber.

By 'the peculiar shape of the neck 2 of the hood (I will describe but one, which descrip- `tion is applicable to all), which is formed flaring, as shown, the masonry of the breast wall can be built therearound, and, by reason of the hearings of thetlower portion of the hood against the interior of the breast wall, the same willbe virtually suspended in such manner as to be above the bottom of the tank, and below the glass-line level, which suspensionis materially assisted by the metal, whose displaced bulk is heavier than the weight of the submerged portion of the hood.

Arranged in the lower portion ofv the hood, so as to lead to beneath the glass line level, and at the inner end of the hood, is a channel or in-lead chamber 3, formed by the wall or partition 4, which channel or in-lead cham,- ber extends along the lower portion of the hood, beneath the glasshne level,to the front d thereof, at which point it discharges, either directly upon the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, or slightly above the bottom, as shown in Fig. 4, but in any instance the discharge should be made in such manner and at such point asl to be at the front end of the chamber in order to keep the temperature of that portion up` to a degree com niensu rate with the ldemands for preventing the glass rfrom becoming ropy or cordy at that point.

To regulate the temperature of the glass and thereby determine its consistency, I arrange in the wall of the hood, preferably at the rear, in order to give the cold aira longer sweep across the surface of the contained metal, a port 5, which is preferably` formed tapering and which is adapted to beA closed by the.insertion of ablock or plug 6, tapered correspondinglywhich taper prevents the same from falling into the working-out chamber. I also form a recess 7 in the front face of this plug, into which is received a suitable rod orinstrunient for the purpose of handling.

When it is desired to increase or raise the temperature of the metal in the hood, the plug 6 isinserted, which prevents the circulation of the air, and the regenerators, acting on the rear wall of the hood, will soon raise vthe temperature ofthe metal to a degree corresponding to that of the metal outside,a.nd,which increase in temperature is accelerated by the introduction of the outside metal through the channel 3.

To reduce the temperature and thicken the consistency of the metal in the hood, I remove the plug 6, which immediately creates a circulation of cold air throughout the length of the hood chamber, by reason of the draft passing across the inner ends of the working-out IOC , the ports in the inner end of the hood.

4Each of these hoods is provided with a similan contrivance for its individual regulation,

and it follows that the regulation of one will not affect any of the others in that battery.

The front end of the hood is reduced or re-V cessed, as at S, to form a space therebetween and the breast wall, which will pernit the introduction of the hot metal between thehood and the breast wall, and, in that way, prevent the chill being communicated to the former, which tends to keep the temperature of the metal in the hood regnlarand evenv throughinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I caim, and desire to secure by Letters Pasti en 1sl'. VIn combination with the working-ont end mi a glass furnace, of a battery ofy hoods or muers arranged therein,said hoods or muftiers taking glass from the Workingbntcham-f ber at their rear ends only, and each being provided with means for individual regulation, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the workingout end f of a glass tank furnace,.of a battery of hoods or mufilers arranged therein, each being provided with .a horizontallydispo^ed partition walhldividing the same into two chambers, one of which opens to the working-out opening,'and is connected to the other at the front end of the hood, and the other, opening into the working-out chamber at the rear end of the hood below the surface of the material therein, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the workin g-out end of a glass furnace, of a battery of hoods or' "consists of a body portion having a flaring muiiiers formed with flaring necks around which the breast wall. is built, and by which the same are supported, said hoods or muiers being so constructed that their front ends rest against the inner side of the breast wall and form a space between the body of the hood andthe breast wall for the circulation of the molten metal, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the working-out end of a glass furnace, of one or more hoods or m'uiiiers formed with a channel or in-lead chamber openino into the working-out chamber, at the rear the hood, and opening into the hood at its front end,I substantially as described.

5. In combination with the working-out end of a glass furnace, of one or more hoods or mniiiers built into the breast wall thereof, said hoods or mulers being divided into two compartments, the upper of which opens into the working-out hole, and is connected to the k lower 'one at the front end of the hood, which lower compartment leads into the workingout chamber at the rear en d of the hood belowthe glass-line level, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the working-entend of a glass furnace, of one or more hoods or mufiiers lhaving openings 'leading through working-out holes, and means for regulating the temperature of each hood individually, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the working-out end of .a glass furnace, of one or more hoods or muiiiers arranged attire working-out holes, and means for admitting and regulating a circulation of air through or in each individual hood, substantially as described. A

t 8. The combination fwith the working-ont end of a glass furnace, of a battery of hoods or muiiiers having channels opening into the working-out chambers at their rear ends be low the glassline level and discharging into hoods at theirfront ends, said hoods being provoied with ports above the glass line level,

l and plugs for said ports, substantially as described. 9. In a hood or muiiier, the combination with the body portion, of a wall or partition arranged so as to form a channel or inlead chamber, which opens to the exterior at the lower rear end, and to the interior at the front endof the hood, said body portion being provided with a port in .its rear wall, substantiallyas described. i

10. In' a hood or muflier,.the body portion forming the hood chamber, which chamber connects atits frontend with an inlead chamber, which. latter chamber opens to the eXterior at the back end of the hood, said hood beiup, also formed with a tapering port in its rear wall near the top, and a plug, similarly ta- IIG pared, which is adapted to be inserted in said v port, said plug being .recessed for the .inser- `tion of a handling tool in its forward end,

substantially as described. v

11. A hood. or muier, for glass tanks, which -WILLIM F. MODES.

Witnesses:

F; R. CosNWALL, Hoen K. WAGNER. 

